Mold & Ventilation
The Healthy Homes program provides information about how to prevent and clean up mold safely. We do not investigate mold complaints, test for mold, or provide inspections.
Exposure to mold may cause different types of health issues. Some people may have immediate symptoms and others may not notice any issues. Children, pregnant people, older adults, and people who are homebound tend to experience more issues. Mold can make symptoms worse for people with allergies or asthma. Please contact your health care provider about any health concerns.
Testing for mold is usually not necessary. If you can see or smell mold inside your home, the most important thing to do is address the moisture and ventilation issues that allowed the mold to grow and clean it up safely.
Reduce Moisture
- Use a bathroom fan or open a window while showering or bathing and for 30 minutes afterward.
- Use a squeegee and towel to wipe water off shower walls, mirrors, and any windows in the bathroom to reduce moisture.
- Use a kitchen fan or open a window when cooking or boiling water and for 30 minutes afterward.
- Fix leaks right away and dry out the area within 24-48 hours.
- Consider a dehumidifier to help reduce moisture in your home.
Increase Ventilation
- Open windows daily for a few minutes.
- Keep doors between rooms open to allow air flow throughout your living space.
- Leave at least one inch of space between furniture and walls so air can flow between them.
- Do not cover windows with plastic unless it is a movable frame or covered for safety reasons.
Control Temperature
- During colder months, keep indoor air temperature between 60-70 degrees F.
- Insulation should help keep the home warm and prevent condensation on walls. If insulation is missing or in poor condition, it should be replaced.
- Insulate pipes to prevent condensation from forming. Cold water moving through a pipe that is surrounded by warm air, or warm water moving through a pipe surrounded by cold air, can create condensation.
Clean Up Mold Safely
- Prevent mold from returning by addressing the moisture and ventilation issues that allowed mold to grow.
- Stop the source of moisture. For example, fix the leak, correct the ventilation issue, fix rainwater drainage issues, etc.
- Clean the mold. Open windows, turn on a ventilation fan, and wear gloves and an N-95 mask while cleaning mold. Consider hiring a professional for large areas of mold.
- Do not use bleach to clean mold. Bleach is no longer recommended for cleaning mold.
- For hard surfaces, use powder detergent (dish or laundry) and water to make a paste. Apply paste to the moldy surface, scrub the mold off the surface with a scrub brush or sponge, and wipe clean.
- Washable items like clothing and bedding should be washed in the laundry. Pre-soak or scrub the mold off with laundry detergent before washing in hot water.
- Consider replacing items like couches, mattresses, or furniture if they are moldy.
- Dry out the area. This may require fans or a dehumidifier. If the area is not dry within 24-48 hours, the material will likely become damaged.
- Remove and replace damaged materials.
- WashingtonLawHelp.org: Mold Problems
- If your rental unit requires a repair (for example, a leak that needs to be fixed or a ventilation fan that needs replaced), here is information on how to request a repair. Visit WashingtonLawHelp.org for information about tenants’ rights.
- For legal help with handling any landlord-tenant issues, contact:
- Northwest Justice Project: call the CLEAR Hotline at 1-888-201-1014 or fill out an online application.
- Sound Legal Aid: Fill out an online application or call 360-705-8194.
Check out these resources for more information about mold and indoor air quality:
Ventilation
Ventilation is the process of creating air flow inside a home by opening windows and using fans to improve air quality. All exhaust fans need to vent indoor air to the outside to reduce moisture in the home.
- Helps prevent mold growth.
- Evenly distributes indoor air temperature.
- Allows moisture and indoor air pollutants to exit the home.
- Helps prevent breathing in harmful fumes from daily living activities like cooking, certain hobbies, and cleaning products.
- Choose safer cleaning products by reading product labels and looking for the EPA Safer Choice label.
- Avoid air-fresheners like wall plug-ins, sprays, candles, wax melts, and incense.
- Choose products that are fragrance-free.
It is important to ventilate all the rooms in your home daily to clear out unhealthy air, and especially during projects that impact air quality, like painting, certain hobbies, and art.
- Bathroom: use a bathroom fan or open a window while showering or bathing and for 30 minutes afterward.
- Kitchen: use a kitchen fan when cooking and boiling water, and for at least 30 minutes afterward.
- Laundry Room: dryer vents need to have an air-tight seal to make sure all warm, moist air goes outside.
- Attic: check to make sure that vents or fans are properly secured and unblocked to allow airflow.
- Crawl Space: make sure vents are unblocked (but fitted with a grate or screen to prevent pests from entering the crawl space) to allow air movement under the house.
- Wood Stoves: vents send polluted air outside. Check chimneys for damage. Visit Washington State Department of Ecology to learn more about the health impacts of smoke.
- Make sure all exhaust fans work, are in good condition, and vent to the outside.
- Check that all vents are unblocked, and air can move through them.
- Use ceiling fans to improve air flow throughout the house.
- Make sure ventilation fans are clear of dust and other particles.
- Make sure your indoor air system filters are cleaned or replaced regularly. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions or hire a professional, if needed.
- Try a daily “fresh air blast” – open each window in the home, then go back and close them. This allows for a quick exchange of air without losing too much heat.
- Attach a tissue or some toilet paper to the end of a pole with a rubber band. This step is not necessary if you can reach the vent while standing or using a step ladder.
- Hold the tissue or toilet paper up to the vent.
- If the tissue or toilet paper is being pulled toward the vent, the vent is moving air correctly. If the tissue or toilet paper is not moving, the vent needs to be cleaned or replaced.
Resources
Learn more:
American Lung Association: Do It Yourself Healthy Home Assessment
Environmental Protection Agency: Reducing Household Hazardous Waste in Your Home
Environmental Protection Agency: Safer Choice
Green Science Policy Institute Six Classes
Safer Cleaning Recipes
Thurston County Healthy Homes Vendor List
Washington State Department of Ecology: Healthy Home Guide
Washington State Department of Ecology: What's hazardous in my home?
Washington State Department of Health: Eight Principals of a Healthy Home
Contact Us
Contact our Environmental Health Education and Outreach Team for more information at healthyhomes@co.thurston.wa.us or call 360-867-2674 if you have additional questions.